While most American cyclocross professionals are racing disc brakes (and are also sponsored by American bike companies who sell disc brake cyclocross bikes), most Europeans have resisted switching to disc brakes (and for some teams, resisted 11-speeds).

American cyclocross powerhouses, including the whole Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld team, much of Rapha-Focus, and the men of Raleigh-Clement race on disc brakes. Cannondale’s Ryan Trebon is certainly happy with his braking power:

If you don't believe disc are future for CX. Let me tell you, you are most certainly mistaken

However, top-level European pros do not have bike companies as title sponsors but rather non-endemic mainstream businesses, since the sport is largely a spectator sport there. Selling bikes and components is not their sponsor’s primary goal, so in general, they can make equipment choices based on competitive advantage, or fear of change. Whatever the reason, disc brakes have not ruled the field in Europe, yet. Even Katie Compton left her disc brakes stateside when racing to her World Cup win in Tabor.

The fact that Van der Haar’s win was the first World Cup win on disc brakes, and that they were early Shimano models, surprises us, as the SRAM Hydro Red and S700 hydraulic disc brakes have been widely available earlier, and SRAM-sponsored Compton has won on them in the States. It’s certainly good testing and validation for Shimano before the brakes and 11-speed levers are released later this year.

At Hamme-Zogge, Nys raced about half of his laps on a R785 disc brake-equipped Colnago Prestige cyclocross bike. Every lap, he went into the pits, switching from cantilevers to hydraulic disc brakes (see Nys swap between the different brakes in the Hamme-Zogge Superprestige race video here). He would start and finish on his Shimano CX70 cantilever brakes, and told media that the hydraulic brakes were the difference between “stopping” and “slowing down,” not necessarily what he wants while racing.

The biggest complaint Nys had was the weight. There’s no denying the weight penalty of disc brakes, with heavier calipers, hubs and levers and the added weight of rotors. Nys’ bike was also heavier because it’s basically his cantilever frame adapted for disc brakes, with added reinforcing for the disc brake mounts. That added weight can be avoided if the bike was built exclusively for disc brakes, as Specialized has told Cyclocross Magazine that their purpose-built carbon disc-brake equipped Crux frame is actually a bit lighter than their cantilever frame.

Nys’ team manager Jan Verstraeten said, “My personal feeling is that disc also provide an advantage in the mud.” But he also admitted to the weight penalty, saying the system weighs a half a kilogram extra.

“With the disc brakes is everything technically in order, but it’s still a matter of getting used to it. So that’s why at the end of the race i chose to use my regular bike.” Nys said after his race.

Will we see Nys’ fully commit to disc brakes? We think it’s unlikely for 2013, as Colnago doesn’t have multiple purpose-built disc brake bikes for Nys, but in 2014, when we see Nys switch to Trek, we’re guessing his primary bike will be a disc brake carbon version of the Crockett that Katie Compton is winning on.

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I am actually surprised to see the Euro riders as opened to it as they are. American cyclists have always been more interested in technology advances while Euro cyclist are more resistant to change and weight conscious. Just look how long it took for Euro mtb riders to cover to disc from v-brakes vs. American riders.

Disc brakes, disc brakes, disc brakes, disc brakes, disc brakes and more disc brakes. Did I miss anything? After all the non-stop stories about disc brakes I was shocked, I tell you shocked, to see how few disc brakes there were at Louisville this past weekend.

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